Dies for forming rail braces



Nov. 6 1923.- 1,472,867

G. R. GAUNTT DIES FOR FORMING RAIL BRACES Filed Aug. 23. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4- -.1

Zf-r- 8 /zgg' I 3// l I "i Z Z Al;

7 [I Y /zz l: i uf@ 0 w gri/vento@ GwLyTR. Gwwn/Z' I Nov. 6, 1923. 1,472,867

l G. R. GAUNTT DIES Fon FORMING RAIL BRAcEs Filed Aug. 25 1922 3 Shets-Shet 3 GQWR' Ga wai-Z;

na; am

GUY'R. GAUNTT, or ROANOKE,-A1..a1sie1vni.

DIES FOR FORMING RAIL BRACIES.v

Application filed. August 23, r1922. Serial-No. 5873,69'3.

T 0 @ZZ whom t may concern;

Be it known that I.y GUY R. GAUNTT, a

citizen of theUnited States ofAmerica, re-v siding at Roanoke, in the county ofRandolph and State of` Alabama, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Dies for Forming BailBraces, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing rail braces.

An objectV of my invention ris vthe construction of, dies and lparts co-operating therewith to form rail. braces and similar devices by `a single operation -on the' metal of which the braces arevmade.

A further object of my invention is the construction of dies, one of which is, stationary, and one of which is moving, Veach having as a part thereof suitable toolsto completely form a rail' brace from a strip of heated metal, and to expel from` the forming parts of the dies the completed brace.V A further object of my invention 1s the use v of a hammer or upsetting means which .acts in conjunction with theldies to form a `'brace complete in every particular except the holes for attachingthe brace to `cross ties or other holding means. l

With these and further objects in view, one embodiment of my inventionl is shown in the accompanying drawings in Which:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of the dies and hammer, some of the parts being shown in sections; y Y

Figure 2 is a front view of the stationary dies; g y

Figure 3 is asimilar View of the moving die;

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 as the two dies appear when in closed position;

Figure 5 is' a top plan of a completed brace;

Figure 6 is a side viewof the brace in position againsta T rail shown in dotted line,and Y.

' Figure 7 is a plan of a strip of metal from which the braces are struck. Y

The stationary dieyl is fastened to a bed or tracks by means 'of bolts 2er any other suitable means such as rear braces, .not shown. The moving die?) reciprocates'on the bed or ,tracks 4 in a manner well understood and further hereinafter explained.

The stationaryv die consistsv of av block 5 in which are recesses to hold two rectangular 'massa pieces 6 and 7 which are attached to the die by-any suitable means such as bolts 8, each block having three bolts asshown.` front of these rectangular pieces is flushwith the frontofthe die, as clearly shown'in 'Figure `4.V Adjacent one endfof theblock is a recess or `an opening 9 ijn which' the punch on vthe moving diefacts.v The use'of the rectangular pieces enables the Vsize of this recess to be changed to manufacture different sizes of braces; This opening has therein a creasingA member 10A,whichisre-V movably attachedin a recess llfin the block by a screw 12,# permitting diterentsized land shaped membersy .tol be inserted.- Qn

either side .ofthe creasing member are angle members 13 attachedto the block byfscrews 14 in order to producethe vinclined parts of thebrace. yDiliierent sized and shaped members VVmay befu'sed@ In the"block1are three springmembers 15,V one .offfwhicjhis shown in Figuregl in plan, these spring members being adapted by their construction tobe pushed by the metalfliush with` the bottom of the recess.

'coil spring 15h will act to expel thebrace when pressure is removedwfrom the head. Suitable rollers 16 are 'attached to the rec-VV tangular piece 7 torjenable theheated strip= 3f met-al 17 to be brought in front ofthe The punch 18 isrof the same shape asthe socket 9 and is attached to the movingdie `by bolts 19. In the openin-gor socket 20 in A When the' pres- `sure'of the punch is removed they will operthe punch is an inclined member-21 fastened by'screvv 22 to the moving block, thisfmefrflber acti-ng to prevent the top ofthe 'creased part ofthe `bracefromv bending'awayrfrom the top ofthe 'creased'memben A Membersfof different size and angle VmayV be used.l v In the socket of the punchis a'springvv28 adapt?V Y Y `ed to assistin expelling'thecomplete rail brace rif it should Y become lodged.V in .the opening in the punch. The construction of Vconstruction of springs l5.

this spring is substantially the same as the The moving block is operated by lever 24 or by any other suitable means from a source of power not shown in a manner which is Well understood in this art.

It Will be understood from thedrawings that the punch has a suitable clearance, say g1g of an inch, from the cutting edge to the back of the punch.

A-n upsetting hammer ory tool 25 acting in a sleeve 26 through any suitable source of power not'shown is timed to act in connection With vthe die in order to produce the turned backV part 2'? on the completed brace 28. The action of the upsetting tool on the blank is timed to follow the completion of the action of the moving die on the blank and While the blank is held by the moving-and stationary dies; that is the action of the upsetting tool on the blank takes place before the moving die starts back to release the formed blank. y The operation of vmy device will be clearly understood from the above description and may be brieiy stated as follows: o

The timing mechanismto bring in proper lrelations at the proper time the heated metal strip from which the braces are clipped off one at a time by the punch, the traveling die and the upsetting'hammer, isr not shown as it vforms no part of my invention, and is Well-known in the art of metal forging.

When a strip of metal properly heated in order to -be acted 'upon efliciently, and of a suitable Width, Which Will be of a Width equal to or greater than the longest diameter of the'punch, is brought in front of the punch and co-operating parts, the end is first cut in the shape indicated at 29 in Figure 7. The timing mechanism then causes the metal to be moved forward exactly the distance determined by the size of the punch. When it has reached this point, it is acted on by the punch 18, the shapeof part 30 being the same shape as the punchlS. As the stroke of the punch is completed, the upsetting-hammer 25 acts to produce the completed brace shown in Figure 5,e the openings 3l' therein being made after the brace is completed. VIt is obvious that the piece cut from the end 29 of the strip and the pieces 32 made by each cutvvill be scra metal.

aving described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect ,by Letters Patent is l. 'Dies for forming rail braces comprising Vj a's'tationary die,'said 'die having brace formmember in said recess, a moving die, an upingV recesses 'therein and a brace expelling jsetting hammer, and means to bring these parts into operative relation whereby a complete brace may be formed in a single operation.

2. Dies for forming rail braces comprising a stationary die, said die having a brace forming recess therein and a brace expelling member in said recess, a moving die, said die having a punch attached thereto to cooperate With the recess in said stationary die, an up-setting hammer, and means to bringthese parts into operative relation f whereby a complete brace may be formed in a single operation.

3. In dies for forming rail braces, a stationary die, said die comprising a block having recesses in one side thereof, pieces secured in said recesses, said pieces having a punch receiving recess therein, a creaser in said punch receiving recess and angle members in said punch receiving recess on opposite sides of said creaser.

4. In dies for forming rail braces, a stationary die, said die comprising a block having recesses in one side thereof, pieces removably secured in said recesses, said pieces .having a punch receiving recess therein, a

removable creaser in said punch receivin recess, and removable angle members in said punch receiving recess on opposite sides of said creaser.

V5. In dies for forming rail braces a moving die, said die comprising a block, av punch clined member attached to said die in said socket and an upsetting hammer adapted to act in conjunction With said stationary die and said moving die to produce a turned back part on a completed brace.

7. Diesyfor forming rail braces and similar devices comprising in combination a stationary die having' recesses therein provided With a creasing member and angle members, and -said recesses having a spring member therein, saidV die having rollers on theface thereof to Ycarry a brace forming blank, a moving die having" a punch attached thereto adapted to act on the brace forming blank in conjunction with the stationaryv die, 'said punch having a socket therein,v and an inclined member attached to said die in said socket and said socket having a spring member therein and an upsetting hammer adapted to act in conjunction with said stationary die and said'moving die to produce a turned rback part on a completed brace.

8. Dies for forming rail braces and simila;` devices comprising in combination a st-ationary die having recesses in one face thereof, pieces secured in said recess, said pieces having a punch receiving recess therein, a creaser in said punch receiving recess, angle members in said punch receiving recess on a opposite sides of said creaser, said die having rollers onV the face thereof to carry a brace forming blank and spring members in said punch receiving recess, a moving die having a punch attached thereto adapted to act on the brace forming blank in conjunction with the 4stationary die, said punch having a socket therein, and an inclined member attached to Said die in said socket and said socket having a spring member therein and an upsetting hammer adapted to act in conjunction'with said stationary die and said moving die to produce a turnedback part i' intermediate of said endportions, aspring member, said memberv comprising a bolt, a nut onone end and a head on the other end of said bolt, said nut being of a size to prevent it entering the intermediate part of said lng i 0 enin a s rin@r surroundino' Ithe art'of said bolt adjacent the end thereof having a head, said spring being of a size to ,enter the, enlarged end portion of fsa-id opening i through said die.V Y

In testimony whereof I afx my signature.

GUY R. GAUN TT. 

